It might have been near the end of last season, when he was a healthy scratch in the Crew’s
final six games. It also could have been during the first six games of this season, when he was not
among the Crew’s game-day roster of 18 players.

Somewhere along the way, the 26-year-old defender knew his chance would come, and it would be up
to him what came of it. And as the Crew takes a three-week break from Major League Soccer action
during the group stage of the World Cup, Gehrig can relax knowing he made a case for playing time
with his past three performances while other defenders were with their national teams.

“I think he has been really good,” coach Gregg Berhalter said last week after the Crew’s
scoreless tie at D.C. United. “He battles well, (and) he wins first balls well. He’s been a very
positive performer the last couple of games.”

When the Crew began preseason practice, Gehrig was behind Michael Parkhurst and Josh Williams in
the central defense. Midway through the preseason, the team acquired Costa Rican center back
Giancarlo Gonzalez and shifted Williams to right back, pairing Gonzalez with Parkhurst, a U.S.
national team candidate.

That meant Gehrig, whose nonguaranteed contract was exercised by Berhalter, would have to wait
to make his case. He made his season debut on May 24 and helped the Crew end an eight-game unbeaten
streak with a 2-0 home win over the Chicago Fire.

Gehrig sat out the following game when Parkhurst returned but started the Crew’s final two games
before the break.

“It feels good,” Gehrig said. “I knew with the World Cup thing there were going to be
opportunities to be had. (Berhalter) has been backing us (all). It’s about taking advantage of the
opportunities when they come.”

When the Crew next plays on June 28 against FC Dallas, it’s a safe bet that Parkhurst and
Gonzalez will be in the lineup — assuming that Costa Rica does not advance past the group stage —
so Gehrig will likely be back on the bench. It has been an unfortunate reality for a player who has
worn the captain’s armband in reserve league and exhibition games for the Crew.

“Michael Parkhurst is a world-class player. The same with Giancarlo Gonzalez,” Gehrig said. “
Last year, it was Chad Marshall. That’s just the way it goes. I think in the grand scheme of
things, I’m still a relatively young player.”

Now in his fourth season out of Loyola-Chicago, Gehrig was a discovery signing in 2011 after
going undrafted. He has 21 starts among his 29 appearances. The Crew is 7-7-7 when he starts, and
he has one assist. This year, the Crew is 1-0-2 when Gehrig starts and has recorded two of its
three shutouts.

“I’m still learning about worrying about what’s in your control,” Gehrig said. “When you start
worrying about the things and who is playing and who is in the 18, that’s when you start getting
yourself in trouble. I think those are human feelings everyone is going to have; it’s just about
keeping them put to the side and putting energy into the team.”